


Episode 11.5: Distress and Downright Dawdling

by zation



Category: Samurai Champloo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Mugen, Jealousy, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Not Beta Read, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 21:19:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2522138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zation/pseuds/zation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jin mourns Shino and Mugen is a prick about it, one could wonder why...</p><p>Or,</p><p>The one where Jin mourns Shino and Mugen decides that enough is enough already!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Episode 11.5: Distress and Downright Dawdling

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. May contain spoilers if you care to look for them, the fic is based on the events in Episode 11: Gamblers and Gallantry, and takes part shortly thereafter.
> 
> 2\. First published on adultfanfiction.net under pen name "eleven" but cleaned, prepped, and moved here since AO3 is _awesome_!
> 
> Enjoy!

  
  


The quiet Ronin sat by the open window, silently watching the falling rain. The weather hadn’t changed over the last couple of days and when they had finally encountered inhabited areas, all three of them had been more than keen on staying indoors. 

Of course, Jin reflected with a barely detectable frown, only he and Fuu had made an effort to earn the money they needed for a proper room. The unruly vagrant had, as usual, wandered off somewhere else, claiming to be looking for a way to earn their living but nonetheless coming back empty-handed. What he did instead of something decent, Jin never wanted to know but sadly enough it was a knowledge he seldom was left without. 

This time, however, the pirate had just stalked down the street and had just now gotten back. The Ronin and Fuu had long ago managed to get jobs, even though he would have preferred not to involve himself in the business of a cleaning lady. 

He was sure that once Mugen got back he would have to endure the other smirking and sneering at him for doing this quite necessary but rather demeaning work. But, as it were, the man had just sat down quietly and had eaten his food without bickering with Fuu, who on the other hand, was trying to yell a hole in his skull for making her worry and for eating her food. 

Actually, now that Jin thought about it, Mugen had recently been uncharacteristically quiet. For the shortest moment he wondered if the other man might be catching some kind of illness. That would be most unfavourable, he thought, because that would mean that they would have to linger and Jin wanted to get as far away from painful memories, thoughts, and feelings as possible. 

  
  


*****

  
  


When Mugen had finally decided to enter the room he had been forced to share with the fish faced Ronin, he found the other man sitting quietly by the window, almost as if in meditation. 

_Uptight bastard_ , he thought angrily, finding just the sight of the man’s rigid back irritating. He was so arrogant, probably thought he was better than Mugen. 

He put down his sword extra loudly, just to make a point, smirking inwardly as he saw the other man if not jump, then at least tense for a short second. 

"What’s the matter fishy?" he sneered, kicking off his sandals. 

To his disappointment, however, there was no reaction from the other man and Mugen didn’t know what to make of it. Why couldn’t he get the other to at least say something? The only time he got the Ronin’s full attention was during their fights — sorry, "spars" — and those had as of late been less frequent. 

_What’s it to me, though?_ He groused silently and flopped himself down beside Jin, making sure to bump his knee against the other man’s thigh. That sure got him something. Without opening his eyes, Jin balled his hands into fists and pressed his lips tightly together. 

Mugen waited for a whole heartbeat before deciding that if the Ronin was going to pounce, they would have about an equal distance to their weapons and he knew he moved faster in a curled up state than Jin. 

Certain that there wouldn’t be a fight, he settled beside the meditating man, legs crossed. 

_If I don’t wanna fight, why do I keep pestering him?_ A thought as ill-boding as any, he mused, and one he didn’t want to voice. 

For a long stretch of time, he sat staring at the dark sky and what little stars he could see through the curtain of rain. The little village they had happened upon was a lazy hole in the middle of the mountains and Mugen hated it. Didn’t even have a proper pub. The closest they got was the damn teahouse where Fuu and Jin had gotten work and where they were currently sleeping. He was okay with it, he guessed, but wanted to leave as soon as he could even though he was as tired of walking in the rain as the other two. 

What irritated him the most about this place, however, was not the lack of booze, but the fact that he would be spending his nights with Jin. Alone. And he didn’t even know what was wrong with that. 

_The silence, if nothing else_ , he thought and turned to stare at the Ronin’s stern face. _How the hell can he keep concentrated like that? Fuck, I can’t even sit still for five minutes._ He was startled to notice, however, that he had been sitting by the other man for more than half an hour, if the bleary sight of the moon was anything to go by. 

The village seemed to have gone into a deep slumber a long time ago and he knew for a fact that Fuu already had gone to bed. Hell, the only reason he had decided to go up to his and Jin’s shared room was because everyone else was getting ready for bed and because he couldn’t even stick his nose outside without getting wet. 

_Wonder how late it really is?_ He sighed and squinted at the moon for a full minute before deciding that he wouldn’t be able to really tell. With an irritated frown, he turned back to the still very unmoving man by his side. 

Scrutinising, he leaned closer to really study the features of the man’s calm face. 

_Like a friggin’ porcelain doll_ , he noted with a sort of dull fascination and tilted his head to the side to get a better angle. 

When Jin opened his eyes to barely slits, Mugen felt like he either wanted to crawl and hide or pounce on the man. With an icy feeling in his stomach, he noticed that he had been seconds away from touching the man’s face. 

"What do you want?" Jin demanded, his voice as smooth as usual but Mugen had been around the man enough not to be fooled. 

Straightening a little, he smirked. "What’s wrong, sunny boy? It’s my room too, ya know."

"Except you didn’t pay for it." The Ronin noted with irritation and Mugen wanted to kick the man in the shins. "And why do you need to sit here?" Jin continued, glancing over his shoulder to indicate the vast emptiness of the rest of the room. 

_At least I got some kind of reaction_ , Mugen thought amusedly as he took in Jin’s glaring eyes. 

"What’s it matter to you?" he spat, making show of getting comfortable where he sat. "Maybe I wanted to sit at the window too, it’s rude to hog all the view, ya know." He grinned wide when he saw that Jin had a hard time not gritting his teeth. "And it didn’t seem to bother ya a minute ago."

He didn’t know why he said that last part but he liked it when the Ronin sighed, albeit in irritation. 

"You weren’t staring at me a moment ago. If you’re going to use the view as an excuse then at least make an effort."

_How the hell does he know where I was lookin’ at?_

Enticed, Mugen leaned forwards again. "Maybe we weren’t talkin’ ‘bout the same view." He leered and got a raised eyebrow in return, less than he had hoped for but more than he had figured. 

"Please, Mugen." The Ronin suddenly relented and cast his eyes down. "I do not wish to play your games tonight."

If Mugen didn’t know better, he would say that Jin looked fragile for a second. Of course, Mugen never knew better and therefore, against his better judgement — which he of course didn’t have any of, really — he leaned just the slightest bit closer. 

"What’s wrong with ya, fish face?" He mocked and this time wasn’t the least pleased to see Jin wince. There was a silence Mugen spent trying to understand what he simply couldn’t even grasp and which Jin spent wishing Mugen would stop staring. 

Suddenly Mugen flopped himself to his back, hands propped behind his head. "It’s that woman, innit?" He ground out, not entirely sure why he was so angry but just starting to edge in on the problem. 

"She has a name." Jin spoke softly and into the rain and Mugen was seething. 

So it _was_ about that woman. It was thoughts of that woman Jin had used all of their money — all of _Mugen’s_ money, really — to buy that haunted the Ronin and that made him as responsive as a codfish. Not that he usually was easy to enrage, but that was hardly the point! 

What did she have anyway? Jin had just fallen for the act the woman had put on. So what if she had been forced into a whorehouse? Everyone had it tough, why did Jin have to worry so much for her? Why for her and not…

"Tch, whatever." He spat and Jin turned to face him, his features taunt and eyes glaring wonderfully again. "So what?" Mugen continued, completely unfazed. "You wanna go back to her or somethin’?" he sat up again but looked the other way. "Fine, whatever. Fuu ‘n me can manage just fine, ya know." He picked angrily at his shorts, wishing he had his sword in his hand and someone to cut. "You’re no help anyway, zoning out like that, thinkin’ of some woman."

"She was not ‘some woman’." Jin spoke louder this time, more firmly and clearly intent on ending the conversation. Mugen liked the force, wanted to hear more of it and wondering shortly how it would sound screaming. 

"Yeah, yeah." He swung around and came face to face with Jin’s angered eyes. "Was she worth it though?" he demanded and Jin blinked, surprised. 

"What? I am _not_ discussing that matter with you." He all but spat and Mugen nearly winced at the harshness. Used to it, sure, but not from the quiet Ronin. 

" I didn’t mean it like that." He said, sounding angered himself but really enjoying seeing Jin’s face so full of emotions. "Was she worth everythin’ you’re thinkin’ ‘bout now?" he was never good with words, he knew that and he could see it in Jin’s eyes that the man didn’t understand. "Look," he tried again and scooted a little closer, pleased that the other man didn’t draw back. "Ya know I can’t say it with fancy words like you but I just mean that you’re havin’ all these feelings and ya shouldn’t, ya know?"

The anger had dissolved completely now, replaced by confusion and Mugen saw that he didn’t quite get through and that the other man was having a hard time understanding what was going on. It was probably his insufficient words and close proximity, Mugen thought and moved a little closer yet. 

"What are you aiming at?" Jin squinted but Mugen didn’t let himself be affected by the obvious mistrust. Rather, he was encouraged by the fact that Jin still didn’t move away even as Mugen himself kept leaning slowly forwards. 

"This." He breathed and made contact with his lips against the Ronin’s exposed neck. Silently thanking the loose fit of that damnable gi, Mugen let his tongue snake out to trail lazily along the man’s beating pulse. 

"Mugen?!"

Jin sounded appalled and surprised at the same time and made to push the vagrant away. An action, Mugen thought, which came a little too late. The Ronin tasted of flowers and soap and Mugen thought it was quite fitting, eagerly lapping at the skin and all the while fending off Jin’s angry hands. He knew, however, that if the other man really put an effort to it, he would maybe be able to rid himself of Mugen’s exploring tongue. But not after it would have gotten dirty — the bad kind — Mugen thought and felt that would be unnecessary. 

So after some sharp manoeuvring he had managed to catch the Ronin’s wrists and hold them down. 

"Calm down, will ya?" he muttered against the skin, smelling Jin’s scent and getting dizzy from it. 

It was true that he had said he was happy Jin had bought a woman because that meant the man wasn’t into men and that Mugen himself was safe. In reality, though, seeing Jin run off with his money to heroically save some woman he apparently had managed to fall for had hurt. And it hadn’t hurt, Mugen had realised despite Fuu screaming in his ear to go save Jin, because of the money-loss. 

"What are you doing, rooster?" Jin gritted out and aimed to scoot away, said action being somewhat hindered by the fact that he was sitting on his own legs. Mostly, though, he wasn’t so angry at Mugen as much as he was furious with himself for letting this incident occur in the first place. 

"Jin." Mugen mumbled against the soft skin and the Ronin actually stilled. Mugen wasn’t slow to use the stillness to his advantage. Moving Jin to lie on his back and pushing the other man’s arms above his head, he stood on all fours above the stunned man. 

"Jin." He tried again, looking at the man’s face, meeting the onyx eyes almost shyly. God how he hated himself right then and there. "Why’re ya still thinkin’ about that woman? It only makes ya sad, right? Shouldn’t ya stop then?" the man beneath him just blinked dumbly and he suddenly got angry. "Well, ya know what?" he forcefully stood up on his knees, easily parting the already partially open gi. "You shouldn’t get all gloomy and stuff, doesn’t suit ya." He leant down to capture a dusky nipple and Jin tensed slightly but didn’t move to get Mugen off or to close his gi. "‘M gonna take it away fishy, ‘m gonna make ya forget."

"Damn you, vagrant." Jin nearly gasped as Mugen turned his attention to the previously ignored nipple. 

Meanwhile, Mugen’s taste buds were in heaven. And the sounds coming from above his head were driving him mad with desire. He hadn’t even done anything yet and already could he feel the familiar tingle in his crotch. He could hardly believe how far he had come so easily. He had figured the other man would be repulsed and push him off, possibly killing him after mutilating him. This incident, however, had turned out better than he could have hoped. 

Jin was moving beneath him now, arching in the wake of his exploring hands and rolling his head to the side, possibly to obscure his face. Even though Mugen really wanted to see Jin’s expressions he supposed it was okay since he in fact liked the Ronin’s hair falling like a black curtain over the pale face. 

With a grin, he slid up to the man’s face and deftly released the coal locks from their imprisonment. Jin turned his head back to stare at him, almost angry at first but Mugen only met him with his usual grin, thinking that he might have overstepped some unseen boundary and that if he didn’t act fast enough he would lose this game real quick. 

So he did what felt the most natural and bent down to capture the other man’s thin lips. 

Jin made a muffled sound and Mugen smiled against the warm lips, tracing them with his tongue and earning himself a choked moan in response. It was amazing, he though, how the Ronin usually was quiet and stoic and now so easily melted beneath his touch. He just loved the reactions the other man was giving and Mugen was seriously beginning to think he would have a hard time behaving himself. 

"Shit, Jin." He muttered and hated himself for letting it show. 

Jin opened his mouth, possibly to respond, but Mugen took the opportunity to shove his tongue into the mouth beneath his. 

They met in a battle so much like their usual dance but this was one Mugen felt he would gladly loose if it meant he would be able to taste more. What thrilled him the most, however, was how Jin by now was giving back, letting his tongue snake around Mugen’s even as his thin fingers travelled through the pirate’s unruly hair. 

Mugen was dizzy and the tightness in his groin was getting to the point where he needed to get rid of his shorts. As they broke apart to breathe, he continued his earlier disrupted exploration of the Ronin’s neck and this time Jin arched his hips up against Mugen’s eagerly awaiting ones. The friction was like something sent from the heavens and Mugen let one hand travel lower to grind the heel of his hand against the burning flesh between the other man’s legs. 

Jin moaned, low and guttural and Mugen couldn’t help smirking at him. 

"So eager, fishy?" he leered. 

"Fuck you, rooster." The Ronin all but panted and Mugen’s leer shifted a notch. 

"Anyway you like it baby."

The Ronin had obviously not anticipated that answer, Mugen could tell by the slightly widened eyes. He sat up, still smirking, and pulled off his haori and white shirt, throwing them both off into a random corner. It was by now far too hot in the room and he wanted nothing more than to get to the really fun parts. 

"I never figured you to yield." Jin remarked as Mugen decided that the Ronin, too, needed to lose some cloth. 

The vagrant waited to speak until he had gotten the annoying hakama open and until he had the other man by the balls — quite literary and, also, very pleasantly so. 

"So?" he inquired, sliding in-between Jin’s legs, pumping loosely. "It’s all good."

Jin arched against his touch and he felt his own eyesight getting somewhat glazed. Not being able to help himself, he leaned in and captured the other man’s lips again. Jin moaned openly now, arching his back, and snaked his hands down the vagrant’s sides. 

Mugen shivered as the pale hands reached the hem of his shorts and soon disappeared beneath it. As the shorts loosened and his erection sprung free, Mugen couldn’t help but groaning. Letting go of Jin’s obvious need, he ground his hips against the pale ones beneath him and got an answering groan in response. 

He latched onto the pale neck again as his hands gripped the slim hips and his own found a pace of their own. The Ronin’s careful hands were kneading at his ass cheeks and he didn’t know if he wanted to push forwards to gain the friction he needed or backwards to get more groping. 

Jin moaned rather loudly and half-wrapped his legs around Mugen’s waist. The angle got better and Mugen grit his teeth as a particularly hard pleasure wave hit him, breaking past his inner walls and making him leak very slightly. 

He noticed how Jin gasped and how the man’s eyes widened slightly. He wondered if the Ronin had felt him dripping or if the other man had gotten hit by a wave of his own. Then he felt slim fingers probing at his entrance and could do nothing but push back against them and clench his jaws. 

"Ah." Jin gasped slightly as Mugen pressed back, the vagrant noted with growing self-satisfaction. "It’s tight." The Ronin observed with a shaky voice. 

"‘Course it is." He gritted out, fighting to breathe properly. "You’re gonna have to stretch me."

"Oh." Suddenly, Jin drew away his hands, placed them on Mugen’s lower back and tried to place his gaze anywhere _but_ the pirate above him. 

" What?" Mugen asked, trying to sound as if his wasn’t worried. He so needed this to play out, and if the hardness pressed against his hip was anything to go by, so did Jin. Sitting up on the Ronin’s flat stomach, Mugen tried as best he could to gain eye contact. 

"I have never been with a man before." Jin deadpanned and Mugen couldn’t help but smiling. 

"That it?" he asked, getting up to completely rid himself of his shorts and to peel the hakama off Jin’s shaking legs. Jin just looked at him and Mugen could have sworn he saw the other man trying to look indignant beneath all the lust that covered his pale features. 

"Don’t sweat it." He smiled as he leaned down to lick teasingly at the man’s quivering inner thigh. "I’ll just stretch myself."

 _I was gonna ride you anyway_ , he thought but decided against mentioning, he didn’t want it to sound like he had planned this. Or that he had dreamed about it, fantasised about it, even. 

Instead he settled on preparing himself, making quite the show of it and Jin’s face got red. Mugen guessed for two reasons and smirked about it. 

"Prepare yourself fishy." Mugen grunted — and tried to ignore his own thoughts — as he lowered himself onto the pulsing length of the other man. 

Jin met the push wonderfully and breathed hard through his teeth. 

  
  


*****

  
  


"What was that good for?" Jin muttered and broke the comfortable silence. 

Mugen was at first a little irritated with the Ronin but then remembered how keening the other man’s voice had sounded while thrusting up into Mugen’s willing body and felt somewhat better about the situation. 

Deciding that it would be difficult to give Jin an answer that would suffice in the man’s scrutinising eyes, Mugen thought to tell him the truth. Since neither would be believable anyway, so to speak. 

"So ya won’t think of that woman anymore."

Okay, so that wasn’t the whole truth but he wasn’t about to admit that. As mentioned, he was rather certain Jin would cast away any explanation he would give anyway. 

The samurai merely snorted and Mugen found it admirable that the man didn’t get phlegm in his windpipe, what with them lying on the floor and all. 

"You mean to tell me that just sex would take away such memories?" clearly, the dark-haired man disagreed. 

"No." The vagrant smirked inwardly when he got Jin’s full attention. "I just meant that _fucking your brains out_ would make your mind numb enough to forget." He leered, feeling positively full of himself. 

Jin just rolled his eyes even as he rolled to the side to face away from the pirate. He was silent for a while before sighing. "It’s not a permanent cure, you know."

Suddenly Mugen was irritated and he sat up to try and see if he could see the man’s face but was unsuccessful, which only angered him more. 

"What’s so good about her?" he spat, knowing full well that he was not in any position to question anything the Ronin decided on. Also, that he was at a disadvantage if this came to pride, since he in fact _had_ let the other man fuck him up his ass and was now sticky with the milky fluid. 

Jin sat up to face him. "Excuse me?"

Oh boy was he angry now, Mugen noted with mixed feelings. 

"Ya heard me." He turned to face the samurai fully. "Why’re ya wastin’ your time thinkin’ ‘bout her anyway?" he cleared his throat and thought to calm himself down at least so much that he could speak more properly. 

Jin, however, beat him to the bush. "What do you care?" the Ronin leaned forwards and his face contorted in fury. 

This, Mugen decided swiftly, was not an emotion he wanted the man to wear when looking at him. Normal annoyance, irritation and frustration, sure, but not anger. 

But the anger dissolved as soon as it had hit. "What do you care Mugen?" Jin slumped forwards and Mugen decided, again, that this was worse. Rather angry than sad. "Honestly," the Ronin continued softly. "Have you ever loved someone besides yourself?"

That hurt. Deep, deep inside and Mugen didn’t even know why. Except he did. 

Jin’s eyes were cold black pits. "Can you understand _anything_ but physical closeness? It’s not everything Mugen."

" I know that!" he was seconds away from slapping the pale face but knew that this was one situation where violence wouldn’t solve anything. Would rather only worsen it and probably get him a broken bone or two. 

"Do you Mugen?" Jin almost scorned, not an action fit for the samurai, the pirate thought. "Do you _really_? Because all I feel is you pestering me about my situation and I don’t like it one bit. Why won’t you let me suffer in peace?"

Mugen had bit the inside of his mouth to keep from speaking — or crying, as embarrassing as it was — but noticed rather painfully that that method wasn’t fool proof. 

"I told you." He barked when Jin finally stopped speaking. "Because it doesn’t suit ya. Ya should look stoic and proud and poss’bly shaded in sorrow but ya shouldn’t _be_ sad."

" Who are you to decide anything about me?" Jin seethed and gathered his hakama around his waist. 

For all Mugen could comprehend, Jin had been satisfied with their earlier performance and now the man was angry and sad again and he didn’t know what to do about it. How could Jin say that Mugen didn’t know anything about feelings and stuff? It wasn’t so hard. When he had held Jin close the man had been pleased, now that they were talking they only fought. 

_Physical closeness_ does _help_ , he thought angrily and made to touch the Ronin’s shoulder but was roughly pushed back. 

"Keep off, rooster."

"Fuck you, fishy." He sneered but didn’t feel especially cocky. "If ya don’t wanna talk with me then fine but stop moping about that chick."

Jin whipped around and Mugen was actually startled to see unshed tears in the man’s otherwise emotionless eyes. "Why would you say that? You didn’t answer my question Mugen: what do _you_ care?"

" Fuck!" Mugen shot up from his seat on the floor, grabbing his shorts in the process. "Fine! Ya know what? I _don’t_ care. How ‘bout that?" he forcefully pulled his shorts on. " I don’t care ‘bout you and I don’t care ‘bout that woman and I _especially_ don’t care ‘bout why ya think ‘bout her all the time and what’s so special ‘bout her and not _me_!"

He stood for a moment, panting with fading rage and with his shorts up but not fastened, staring down at the shocked face of the samurai. 

"Wh-what?" Jin stuttered after a moment. 

"Y-ya heard me." The vagrant stumbled on his own words, not even believing himself. 

Jin got up slowly, coming to stand face to face with the flustered pirate. "You mean you keep bothering me because you want me to think of you as I did Shino?"

Mugen made a series of mumbled words that Jin couldn’t catch and Mugen himself didn’t understand. 

"You said ‘did’." He muttered after some time and Jin’s eyes widened slightly — not that Mugen noticed, having bowed his head in shame. 

But before Jin could even think of the answer or what that would mean or, for that matter, what he himself was feeling, Mugen had stumbled towards the door, quickly tying his shorts in place. 

"I don’t know what I meant." The pirate mumbled. 

"Likewise." Jin agreed with a whispered smile. 

Mugen stopped by the door and scratched the back of his head, looked a bit like he wanted to say something more but then obviously decided not to mess things up further and left. 

With a small smile, the Ronin pulled his hakama closer and seated himself in front of the window again, feeling secretly amused about the whole situation. That, plus it was still raining outside and he wondered where the vagrant would go but outside. 

Not five minutes later, the rooster barged in through the door and shook himself partially dry. Jin smirked with his back to the other man. 

"And that was my money ya used, ya know." Mugen barked and Jin could barely contain himself. 

"Sorry about that." He said, not sounding the least sorry, and turned face the man. "I’ll have to make up for it somehow."

Mugen grinned. Grinned wide and predatory, and Jin grinned back. 

  
  



End file.
